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Verizon plan on island

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:31 am
by jaybfloyd
Hello,
This topic has probably been discussed before but we're leaving on the 15th and wanted the latest update. What does everyone do as far as cell phone coverage go? I have a 1400 min/unlimited text/10GB of data plan per month. I don't plan to make any calls down there and will probably wait until I get to the villa to use any data but does the texting follow your domestic plan? Should I call and change anything? Thank you so much!

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:12 pm
by RicksFormula
here is a good recent topic on that from the Verizon site:
https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/925496

I'd still use the Verizon trip planner link in the lower post of that thread to be safe. Also remember that on many parts of the island, near the N. Shore especially, there is a chance that you will be picked up by the BVI towers and see the BVI fees on your bill. Also I have found that the Verizon signal on island is weak in many places.

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:22 pm
by awardb
We've been going to STJ for about 9 years. Longtime Verizon customers. Now, maybe something has changed, though I doubt it. There is essentially little to no Verizon service on STJ, and as the previous post pointed out, there is an excellent chance you'll be picking up the BVI's towers when making a call, and large charges result from that. We have always used an inexpensive AT&T GoPhone, stocked it up with minutes, and used that during our whole trip on STJ. AT&T is all over the island, with arguably the best coverage available. GoPhone can usually be had for maybe $40, sometimes you can get the unlimited calling plan for $2 per day.

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:54 am
by Barney&barbara
Hello ...I used my Verizon cell just fine last Feb. I never used it while I was on the NS beaches but it worked fine in Cruz Bay and iffy in Coral Bay

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 8:22 am
by Suziekue
Hi, I used my Verizon service with my iPhone last November and I had no issues. Whenever a BVI tower was in play I received a text telling me so I turned my phone off. This happened when were we out at places near Miss Lucy's. For the most part my phone worked fine but this was the first vacation my Verizon service covered calls too. Before I left I had called Verizon & was told my plan covered the USVI's including calls, I gave them my travel dates to document just in case but everything went fine. I heard someone say they came back & had to call to get some charges removed but we didn't experience that.

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:01 pm
by jaybfloyd
Thanks everyone! Appreciate the feedback. The Verizon rep assured me that our domestic plan is viable on St John. If I receive that text alerting me of the roaming due to the BVI tower, I'll just switch to airplane mode. Obviously, I don't plan to use it all that much (whole point of this vacation) but we're going with a large group so being able to stay in touch via text is all I really need.

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 2:04 pm
by JohnM
We were on STJ two weeks ago, and we didn't have any problems with Verizon service. Didn't have to change to an International Plan. Had to change phone settings to allow roaming, but that's it. Surprisingly good voice quality.

The one caveat was not using our phones on the North Shore beyond Caneel, or in the Coral Bay area. Didn't want to risk locking onto a BVI tower, which we've experienced in the past.

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 3:19 pm
by jaybfloyd
Thanks John. Good to hear.

Re: Verizon plan on island

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 7:38 pm
by awardb
This is very good information to know. We'll bring our Verizon phones, and use them when we're on-island soon, subject to the warnings of the post above. We'll also bring our ATT go-phone, which we can use all over the island - North Shore, Coral Bay, Lameshur area, etc.

Thanks for the answers!